The present disclosure relates generally to blister packaging, and more particularly to blister packaging incorporating lenticular lenses.
Blister packaging is often used to package and display merchandise. A blister pack typically includes a transparent piece of plastic (“the blister”) molded or otherwise formed to define a cavity generally in a shape corresponding to or larger than the particular merchandise to be packaged, and a sheet of paperboard heat-sealed or glued to the blister, such that merchandise is contained within the cavity of the blister. The sheet of paperboard, also referred to as a blister card, often contains graphics and text related to the merchandise.
Blister packs may also include a filler blister and/or a paperboard insert. A filler blister is a formed piece of plastic similar to a blister, but is typically used inside of the blister to aid in the positioning of and the securing of the merchandise between the blister and the blister card. A paperboard insert, like the blister card, often includes graphics and text related to the merchandise, and may be contained within the cavity along with the merchandise.
Lenticular lenses are used to create multiple image effects. A lenticular lens is typically a transparent sheet containing an array of several elongated, parallel lens elements called lenticules. When a lenticular lens is placed over a printed picture made up of several bands of two or more images appropriately interlaced with one another, the different images are exhibited individually when the combination is viewed at different angles. One example of lenticular lens use is with novelty baseball cards. For example, when viewed at one angle, an image of a baseball player at the start of his swing is exhibited; when viewed at a second angle, an image of the baseball player in the middle of his swing is exhibited; and when viewed at a third and final angle, an image of the baseball player concluding his swing is exhibited. An illusion of the baseball player making a complete swing is created when the three images are viewed in sequence.
Examples of lenticular and other lenses, including methods of making such lenses, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,781,761, 6,751,024, 6,414,794, 6,256,150, 6,256,149, 6,091,482, 6,084,713, 6,046,855, 5,896,230, 5,714,218, 5,647,151, 5,642,226, 5,623,368, 5,588,526, 5,554,432, 5,519,539, 5,500,157, 5,544,741, 5,439,621, 5,330,799, 5,300,263, 5,298,366, 4,935,335, 4,767,186, 4,528,260, 4,498,736, 4,541,727, 4,420,221, 4,414,316, 4,129,628, 4,034,555, 3,706,486, 3,594,457, 3,584,369, 3,565,733, 3,538,198, 3,357,772, and 3,146,492, and U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. 2004/0070836, 2003/0214080, and 2004/0195732, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.